Spock Pursuing Kolinahr

[RookieBatman]

[I decided to have this here instead of the Movie forum, because I think it's more about Spock's overall personality than the one scene in TMP.]

So, I just finished reading the four different versions of the end of the Enterprise's five-year mission (three comics and a novel, if anyone's counting), and each of them featured some event wherein Spock's inability to completely control his emotions causes (or at least threatens) great harm to someone else, making him decide to pursue the Kolinahr discipline.

I don't think such a rationalization is at all necessary. My personal opinion about the situation is that Spock during the series was generally overcompensating for his human half by acting uber-Vulcan. So, if something made Spock decide he didn't need to be in Starfleet anymore (such as Kirk taking the promotion), his obvious next choice would be to do the uber-Vulcan and purge all of his emotions. No explanations necessary. It seems pretty straightforward to me, or am I oversimplifying?

 

[T'Girl]

Spock had daddy issues.

By purging all aspects of his human nature, Spock may have been seeking Sarek's approval.

He left Star Fleet, his entry into Sarek didn't approve of. The over all plan may have been to acheve Kolinahr, return to the Vulcan Science Academy and eventual become a diplomat like his father.

In Final Frontier, TNG and Star Trek Eleven we see Spock as a diplomat, a well respected one. By the time of TNG it would seem that he is out of Star Fleet. At some point Spock weds, most probably to a Vulcan wife, his father is present at the wedding. At the end of The Voyage Home, Spock mildly stood up to Sarek, anouncing that his "associates" were in fact his friends. In time I think Spock's actions gained his father's repect.

It unlikely Sarek ever told Spock that he loved him.

 

[Klingon Empire]

But love is an emotion, and thus forth not Vulcan.

 

[Green Shirt]

But love is an emotion, and thus forth not Vulcan.

Love is also a choice.

 

[KobayashiMaru13]

He underwent kolinahr so as to make himself "completely Vulcan". He failed, of course, because he is NOT completely vulcan, a lesson he learned, and was thus afterwards comfortable with himself and didnt give a damn what daddy wanted him to be.

 

[Ronald Held]

He failed in part because of his contact with V'Ger. No way to tell if he would have passed the final mindmelds.

 

[KeepOnTrekking]

It's been so long since I read all the different versions but I'd say that decision was character-driven regardless of the story details. Spock was a conflicted character from the beginning...half-human/half-Vulcan. Amanda said that spock was at home neither on Vulcan or earth...or Starfleet ("Journey to Babel"). Spock was ashamed of his friendship with Kirk in "The Naked Time." But he did admit to those feelings again for Kirk and McCoy by inviting them to come along in "Amok Time."

When Kirk decided to accept the challenge of being promoted to Admiral, Spock was left behind to command his own ship (which he never sought) or remain as a science officer. McCoy resigned in protest of Kirk's promotion. Spock was suddenly left without his 2 closest friends on a daily basis. His human side was bound to feel such a great loss that his Vulcan side could not appreciate or control. I believe that this inner conflict is what finally drove Spock back to Vulcan to undergo Kohlinahr. He wanted to find that "peace" again that he had thought he had found originally when he first joined Starfleet.

 

[Bruno]

Love is also a choice.

If that were true my life would be so much easier!

 

[Nerys Myk]

But love is an emotion, and thus forth not Vulcan.

Love is also a choice.

Love is a battlefield

 

[Daddy Todd]

But love is an emotion, and thus forth not Vulcan.

Love is also a choice.

Love is a battlefield

Stop using sex as a weapon...